I’m a writer and digital editor. Previously, I served as senior digital editor at the Los Angeles Times. I also headed mobile technology and emerging platforms for latimes.com. Formerly, I’ve been on staff at Entrepreneur Magazine, and have written for various national publications. I love art, tech, and science - and especially places where all three of those things clash, mesh, or merge.

A Digital Place For The Global Dance Community

If dance is movement, and movement is life, then it is not a wonder that the practice has been part of human interaction, since our beginnings. Throughout history, dance has been used to communicate — to ward off war, to bring rain, to inspire blessings, to honor someone, to celebrate, and to let go.

From tap to ballet to jazz to modern to hip hop and B-Boy styles, there are a million variations of dance that allow performers to express themselves. In the same way that a voice is a singer’s tool, the entire body becomes an instrument for a dancer on the floor.

With the rise of shows like “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing With The Stars,” it is clear that there is a large and invested audience for dance. But, until recently, there was not a singular place where the dance community could gather.

“The general idea is that there’s never been a channel like a broadcast network or a cable network that was dedicated to dance programming. And you see it on so many different channels like Bravo, Lifetime, E!, MTV, ABC, Fox. They all have some kind of dance programming, but there’s never been a central location for it all. It is such a big vertical. With the wild success on T.V. — the question became why isn’t there a channel for dance?” she said.

“With the Internet making it so easy to create these channels that are ‘niche,’ it’s opening up this opportunity. Although it’s pretty debatable as to whether dance is actually a niche genre. This probably would have been successful on cable, if anyone had done it.”

Taylor began her career in production, working for Broadway producer Richard Frankel. She then transitioned into dance management, becoming the associate manager for dance legend Ben Vereen.

She launched DanceOn in 2010. The company began in New York, but she soon moved the company to Los Angeles in December of 2011 to be closer to YouTube and a whole new crop of dance talent.

Her first angel investor in the company was Allen DeBevoise, CEO of Machinima, the second largest video network on YouTube and mega-network for gamers.

After an introduction made by YouTube, Madonna and her manager Guy Oseary became Taylor’s partners in the company.

For the talent, Taylor talked about connecting dancers with their audience, beyond a single show.

“Basically there are a lot of dancers and choreographers looking to do something online. There’s a lot of business-to-business websites that serve that. But there was really no business-to-consumer, so if I’m the star of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and I win — what kind of platform is there for me online so that I can continue to communicate with the people that are watching me on Fox?” she said.

“YouTube and video platforms are really the best way for dancers to continue to have that relationship. There are hundreds of thousands of dancers around the world — from students to professionals to those on tour — but they don’t have that aggregated platform. So, that’s where it started: How do we make a company that can be that service, while also serving consumers entertaining content.”

They began the channel with online program Dance Showdown — a competition-style show, in which amateur dancers (stars from YouTube with large followings) are paired with professional dancers to compete for cash. The genre they are currently focusing on is hip hop and electronic, which appeals to the younger YouTube audience.

In the end, like most companies today, the channel’s aim is not for L.A. or New York or the nation, but rather international impact. The idea is to make dance a global conversation.

“The most exciting thing is that there could be an international conversation at the water cooler, not just a domestic one. In the same way that everyone was talking about the Olympics — amazing performances and inspiring stories.”

“You could probably show a dance performance anywhere and someone in France or the U.K. could look at it and say: Wow, look at that dancer — that’s really incredible. There’s an audience for this everywhere in the world. The content can be searched and enjoyed by anyone. Though the show is in English, they can focus on the dance and story being told through the dance.”

DanceOn is currently exploring what various formats might work on the channel, such as tutorial.

“There’s a recognition that dancers are also influencers, in the same way that music artists, actors, or athletes are” she said.

“It’s very big in pop culture, and that’s why we’re always targeting commercial dance — something that everyone can enjoy. The content should never feel elite. It can be excellent. It can be athletic and great, but it should be accessible.”

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